Line-throwing gun



March 25 1924. 1,487,778

. F. e. HALL LINE THROWING GUN' Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

UNETEE d'f'A'iES FRANK G. HALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LINE-THROWING GUN.

Application filed April 6, 1921. Serial No. 459,110.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. HALL, acitizen of the United States, and residing at Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Line-Throwing Guns, of which the following is a speciii cation.

The present invention relates to guns for throwing line carrying projectiles.

Guns of this character are indispensable to life guards when the surf runs high and it is impossible to launch life boats to rescue the passengers of a vessel grounded off shore, so that it is necessary to throw a line carrying projectile to or from the vessel in order that the breeches buoy or life car may be used. The conditions under which the line throwing gun must be used are usually unfavorable, whether the gun is located on shore and a line is to be thrown to a shipwrecked vessel, or whether it is on shipboard and is to be used to throw a line to the shore or to another vessel. It must often be used in the dark and in cold and wet weather and must be aimed and fired quickly as there is usually no time to be lost when it is needed.

In accordance with the present invention a gun for throwing line carrying projectiles is provided which is of simple construction and may be understood and operated by persons having no extensive training in such matters, which is designed and constructed to be fabricated and assembled with a minimum of expenditure of time and materials and a minimum of cost, and which may be relied upon to operate perfectly under unfavorable conditions.

The gun is of the breech loading type and has a number of novel features of construe tion. The transversely slidable breech block utilized is operatively connected to an extractor which automatically withdraws the empty powder cases when the block is opened and this extractor is positioned to be accessible at all times. It sometimes occurs that a cartridge case becomes jammed in the powder chamber of the gun and great force is necessary to dislodge it. With the extractor exposed, the operator may quickly apply sufiicient force thereon to loosen the cartridge case whenever one becomes jammed in the gun, and it is impossible to remove the same in the usual manner by moving the breech block.

Another feature of the invention resides in the novel breech recess. This recess is formed by cutting a transverse diametrical slot through the breech end of the gun,

this slot being preferably formed by a milling operation. The rearwardly extending parallel portions of the gun forming the sides of the slot are grooved to form trackways for the transversely movable breech. block and bolts tie these portions together to prevent spreading due to firing. In this construction the cost of forming the breech recess is very materially reduced. A further novel feature of the invention resides in the means for exerting a strong pull on the breech block in the opening or closing movement thereof, this means comprising a lever pivoted to the block and adapted to cooperate with a cam groove on the barrel.

Another feature of the invention resides in the support for the gun, this support including a bracket which has a hollow cylindrical end portion. The interior of the end portion may receive a stationary member such as the stem of a tripod or it may be inserted within a socket such as a socket set into the rail of a'vessel. The gun is adapted, therefore, to be supported upon a rigid tripod or other supporting device located on the deck of a vessel or on the shore, or to be supported in a socket in the rail of a vessel and may be changed from one such positionto the other without adjustment.

As the invention is disclosed in the 'fol lowing description when taken with the drawings which accompany the same, other objects and advantages will become apparent.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is a side view of the gun mounted on a tripod which is secured to the deck of a vessel;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of portion of the same to a smaller scale, the gun being supported in-the railiof a vessel;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the axis of the bore of the gun;

Fig. 4: is a Section on line H of Figure 3; V i

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the gun barrel showing the breech block and firing mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Figure 4;

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 5; and

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig: ure 3.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral 10 indicates a circular deck plate which may be secured at any point on the deck of a vessel, upon a wharf, or other structure from which it may be desired to throw a line. This deck plate is preferably of iron or steel and has a plurality of bolt holes through which securing bolts may be placed. The tripod 11 has an annular flange 12 at the bottom which extends under the overhanging portions of lugs 13 of the deck plate. This tripod is revoluble relatively to the deck plate and a pin 1 may be inserted through registering apertures in one of the lugs 13 of the deck plate and in the flange 12 of the tripod, to lock it in position. The legs of the tripod join at their upper ends the central cylindrical portion 15, which fits within the correspondingly shaped recess in the lower end of bracket 16. Bracket 16, which supports the gun and its cradle, is rotatable relatively to the tripod and the lower end of this bracket is in the form of a hollow cylinder so that it may either be mounted upon the tripod 11, as shown in Figure 1, or removed therefrom and inserted within a socket 17 in the railing 18 of a vessel (Figure 2).

The upper portion of the bracket is formed with seats for the trunnions 19 of the cradle 20, and trunnion caps 21 are provided to hold the trunnions in their seats. The cradle 20 receives with a sliding fit the barrel 22 of the gun and has also a cylindrical aperture 23, the axis of which is par-- allel to the axis of the gun, and which constitutes. a recoil cylinder.

Slidingly fitting within this cylinder is the piston 24 which is connected by means of a rod 25 to lug 26 of'the gun barrel so that the piston and gun barrel are constrained to move rearwardly together, in well known manner, upon firing. The'recoil cylinder is filled with oil or a glycerine compound or some other suitable fluid, and movement of piston 24: can only occur when the fluid in the cylinder is permitted to flow from one side of the piston to the other. This flow occurs through a plurality of cuts 27 which are made in a brass sleeve 28 fitting within the cylinder and around'the piston, the cross sectional area of these cuts decreasing toward their rear ends so that the area through which fluid can pass around the piston constantly decreases as the piston moves rearwardly. As a result the fluid pressure increases as the piston moves toward the rear of the cylinder in the recoil movement of the gun, and finally becomes so great that the travel of the piston is stopped. The coil spring 28 also opposes movement of recoil and serves as a motor to store up energy for returning the gun to battery. Forward movement of the gun is limited by the interior annular shoulder 29 of the cradle which serves as an abutment for a correspondingly shaped shoulder on the exterior of the gun.

The cradle has downwardly extending parallel flanges 30 and positioned between these flanges and pivotally secured the "etc is a sleeve 31 which receives with a loose fit the upper end of a screw bolt 32 which is pivotally connected at its lower end to member 33 secured to, and projecting laterally from, the bracket 16. The nut 34- has a squared outer end to receive a tool for rotating it and has threaded engagement with screw bolt 32 and is also secured to sleeve 31 but in such manner as to be 'otatable relatively thereto. By rotating nut 3a the anglev of elevation of the gun and cradle may he changed at will.

The barrel 22 has two spaced parallel rearwardly extending projecting portions 35 and 36 which constitute respectively upper and lower guides for the transversely slidable wedge shaped breech block 37, the ad jacent portions of extensions 35 and 36 being grooved to constitute trackways therefor. ln rear of these trackways the projections 35 and 36 are connected and secured together by screw bolts 38 which serve to prevent spreading of projections 35 and 36 due to firing. The breech recess may be formed by a milling operation and bolts 38 subsequently added if found necessary, this mode of construction resulting in a great saving of time in manufacture and providing a recess well adapted for the purpose, and a breech end construction which is amply strong. Breech block 37 is cut away at one end as at 39 so that when it is moved to the right (Figure 5) to the limit of its movement this cut away portion will be in the rear of' the powder chamber so that the empty case may be removed and a new one inserted. Pins 40 extending downwardly through openings in the upper rearward extension 35 project into a straight slot 41 in the upper face of the breech block and 'serve to maintain the block in a forward position, the pins resting against the forward face of slot ll which face is parallel to the front face of the block. A third pin 42 extends upwardly through projection 36 and into a slot 43 in the bottom of the breech block and this pin limits the movement of theblock. In closing, the block is moved forward slightly by a wedging action and the cartridge case j ammecl into the powder chamber.

The block is recessed at 44 to receive the inner end of a lever 45 which is pivoted to the block and has an operating handle 46 at its outer end and a lateral projection 47 at an intermediate point. This projection or pin 47 is adapted to enter a slot 48 formed in a flange 49 projecting laterally from the adjacent the breech recess. Slot 48 constitutes a cam slot and cooperates with projection 47 of lever 45 when it is desired to exert a. strong force on the block to effect an opening or closing movement. With the block in the position illustrated in figure 5 a force exerted on handle 46 in an upward direction will cause projection 47 to ride along the inner face of slot 48 so that a strong pull is exerted on the block to start the same toward the right. After the block has been given an initial movement projection 47 ma be moved out of the mouth of the'slot and t e block freely pulled to the right until stopped by the limiting pins 40 and 42. To force the block to closed position, lever 45 is moved downwardly when projection 47 has entered slot 48' and the force derived from the wedging action is in the opposite direction.

A firing pin is indicated at 50, this firing pin extending through a central aperture in the block and being normally held b sprin 50' in inoperative position. The ead 0 pin 50 lies in the pathway of the head of firing hammer 51 which is pivotally supported in a vertical slot 52 formed in the lower wall of the breech recess. A lanyard 53 is provided for operating the firing hammer and a pin 54 may be removably inserted through transverse apertures provided in the lower wall of the breech recess which pin constitutes av safety locking device preventing, when in position, upward movement of the firing hammer to strike the firing pin.

The upper wall 35 of the breech recess is slotted vertically and axially of the gun at 55, and an extractor 56 is slidably positioned in this slot, the extractor having a cylindrical aperture through which extends the rod 57 which serves as a support and guide for the extractor in its reciprocatory movements. The extractor comprises a block having a downwardly extending claw 58 at its forward end, this claw fextending to a position which its end lies in rear of the rim of a cartridge case posi tioned in the powder chamber. Extending downwardly from therear end. of the extractor is a projection or pin 59 which is received within a slot 60 in the top of the breech block. Slot 60 is curved, as shown in Figure 7, and constitutes a cam slot for operating the extractor. Upon a movement of breech block 37 to the right (Figure 7) pin 59 will be moved rearwardly thereby causing the extracthr to eject a cartridge case just as opening 39 comes opposite the powder chamber.

In a return movement of the breech block from right to left the extractor is moved forwardly so that the shell may completely enter the powder chamber and the block be closed. The forward end of the slot 55 is cut away at 61 so that in case a cartridge case becomes jammed in the owder chamher, a suitable tool may be inserted into the slot to move the extractor rearwardly and loosen the cartridge case. The extractor is at all times accessible and the gun can not be rendered inoperative for more than a few seconds by the jamming of a cartridge case in the powder chamber.

A feature of the invention resides'in the provision of the counter bore 22 in the gun barrel immediately in front of the powder chamber. This enlarged diameter of the bore between the powder chamber and the projectile provides space for the combustion of the charge so that the projectile when fired dries not receive a violent shock, which would move it suddenly and tend to break the line, but receives a gradual acceleration.

The parts of the gun have beenreduced v to the minimum consistent with safety, and ability to fire rapidly and accurately. The parts are of simple construction and any one becoming broken may be quickly replaced. The design and arrangement of parts may be varied within the scope of the invention, which is not limited to the exact form shown and described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gun of the class described, in combination, a barrel, a breech block movable to open and close the end of the barrel and an extractor op eratively connected to the breech block and adapted to eject a shell case when the block is moved to open 7 osition, said extractor being supported by t e barrel and adapted to be removed without removing the breech block.

2. In a gun of the class described, in combination, a barrel having a slot adjacent its breech end, a breech block movable to open and close the end of the barrel and an extractor operatively connected to the breech block and adapted to eject'a shell case when. the block is moved to open position, said extnactor slidably fitting within the slot in the barrel and being accessible and removable from said slot from without the barrel at all times for the purpose of inspection and repair.

3. In a gun of the class described, in combination, a barrel having a breech recess at one end and having a radial slot extending through the wall thereof adjacent the breech end, a breech block in said breech recess and movable to open and close the end of the barrel, and an extractor operatively connected to the breech block and slidably fitting in said slot, said extractor being adapted to move to eject a shell case When the breech block is moved to open position, and the extractor being accessible and removable for the purpose of inspection and repair at all times through said slot from Without the barrel, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a gun of the class described, in combination, a barrel, a breech block movable to open and close the end of the barrel and an extractor operatively connected to the breech block and adapted toeject a shell case When the block is removed to open position, said extractor being supported by the barrel and mounted in a slot therein, so that it may be removed from said slot for inspection and repair, Without removing the breech block.

5. In a gun of the class described, in com bination, a barrel, a breech block movable to open and close the end of the barrel and an extractor operatively connected to the breech block and adapted to eject a shell case When the block is removed to open position, said extractor being mounted in a slot there in and slidably supported on a rod extending longitudinally of the barrel, the extractor being removable from said slot When said rod has been removed.

6. A gun having a barrel provided with rearwardly directed space-d extensions adapt ed to slidably retain between them a breech block, and means rigidly connecting the rear ends of said extensions in rear of the breech block. I

7. In a gun of the class described, in combination, a barrel having, a breech recess at one end. and having a radial slot extending through the Wall thereof adjacent the breech end, a breech block in said 'recessand movable to open and close the bore, and an ex tractor operatively connected, to the breech block and slida-bly fitting in said slot, and a member for supporting the extractor in said slot, \vhichmem'ber is removable longitudinally. of. the barrel and in a rearward direction, the extractor being adapted to be moved to eject a shell case When the breech block is moved to open piositionyand being accessible atall times through said slot from without the barrel, and removable when said member is removed for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereoffI hereunto aflix my signature.

FRANK Gr. HALL. 

